Mesa man arrested for bigamy after marrying second wife because he ‘couldn’t find’ his first

PHOENIX – A Mesa man has been arrested on a felony bigamy charge after authorities discovered he married a second woman in Phoenix while still legally married to his first wife, according to court records.

What we know:

Police took 42-year-old Charod Lee Choice into custody on Oct. 27 after investigators uncovered records showing he never dissolved a 2013 marriage before walking down the aisle again earlier this year.

The backstory:

According to court documents, Choice first tied the knot with Shakia Jackson on Christmas Day in 2013, with their marriage license filed in Pima County. Twelve years later, on Feb. 22, 2026, Choice married Christina Arrington in Phoenix, recording a second marriage license in Maricopa County.

Investigators noted that Choice was neither legally divorced nor legally separated from his first wife prior to the second ceremony. Court documents state that Jackson contacted authorities and indicated she wants to pursue criminal prosecution against her husband.

What they’re saying:

When questioned by an arresting officer, Choice confirmed his February 2026 nuptials and admitted he was still legally married to Jackson. When asked why he did not finalize a divorce first, Choice reportedly told police that “he couldn’t find her.”

Officers arrested Choice around 10 a.m. Tuesday at a home in Mesa’s Stoneybrook neighborhood near Higley and Brown roads. He was booked into the Mesa City Jail on one count of bigamy, a Class 5 felony under Arizona law.

During an initial appearance in court, the judge sounded genuinely surprised as he read aloud the rare felony charge against the 42-year-old before ultimately granting his release on his own recognizance.

What we don’t know:

It remains unclear how Choice’s first wife discovered the second marriage, whether his second wife knew about the previous relationship, or what specific legal steps Choice ever took to locate his original spouse before remarrying.

Map of the arrest location:

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